Category Archives: Italian Wine Reviews

Li Veli Valle d’Itria Askos Verdeca

February 23, 2016

2014 Li Veli Valle d’Itria Askos Verdeca

Background

Masserie Le Veli is located in the Valle de’Istria region of Apulia in Italy. The 33 hectares of vineyards on the fertile and sunny Salento plain are densely planted on Calcerous with sediment soils. The vines are mostly cultivated with native Alberello trained vines with three two-bud spurs. See the below picture.

The wine is a blend of 90% Verdeca and 10% Fiano Minutolo.

Verdeca and Fiano Minutolo are white varietals that are indigenous to Apulia.

Verdeca is an easy growing grape that was not generally used in varietal wines. It is disease resistant and adaptable to many terroirs. It was mostly always used for blending in dessert wines or in Vermouth.

Fiano Minutolo has  a small berry (minutolo). This variety gives the wine its aromatics and some freshness.2014 Li Valle d'Itria Askos Verdeca

Wine Description

The wine has a straw gold color with green tints. The flowery aromas of tropical fruit with pear are hovering above the glass. On the palate the wine has a medium body with some peppery spiciness along with the pear and peach. The finish has freshness with the tropical fruit and some spice notes.

 

 

 

Tomaresca Masseria Maime

Tomaresca Masseria Maime Negroamaro

MyFavoriteWineIs.com

February 22, 2016

Masseria Maime Estate is located in the heart of Apulia Masseria Maime in upper Salento. The estate extends along the Adriatic coast and covers an area of about 500 hectares. Of the 500 hectares 350 are planted with vines.
The Salento peninsula enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and long, hot, dry summers favored by its geographical location and direct contact with the Adriatic Sea.

The wine we are tasting:             2012 Tormaresca Masseria Maime IGT. This wine is made from 100% Negroamaro grape. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks. It then spent 12 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels. It further aged 18 months in bottle prior to release.

The wine has a dark ruby color. There are aromas of  violets and fresh cherries. On the palate it is smooth with notes of sweet oak and anise. It has a full body feel to it. The finish has smooth  tannins with a medium length. Very enjoyable and slightly youthful.

Ferghettina Franciacorta Extra Brut and White Sturgeon Caviar

February 20, 2016

Ferghettina is located in Franciacorta at the foot of the Alps along side the Sebino Lake.

The annual production is about 350,000 bottles which includes 4 types of Franciacorta DOCG Brut, Saten, Extra Brut and Rosé and three still wines a Curtefranca Red, White and a Curtefranca IGT Sebino.

We are tasting the Ferghettina Franciacorta Extra Brut 2009.Ferghettina Franciacorta Extra Brut 2009Background – The wine is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir with the base being from 2009. The vines are between 15 to 65 years old and are planted on calcareous soil.  Each vineyard’s grapes are separately fermented in 100% stainless steel tanks before blending. Once bottled the wine will age on its lees for at least 72 months.

Tasting – The wine has a golden yellow color. There are aromas of bread yeast and sweet green apples. On the palate there is a softness, nuttiness and a structured mouth feel. The finish is dry with slight chalk notes.

This Franciacorta is on the Waiting List to be tasted with Osetra caviar from Lady Elena Caviar.com

 

 

 

Lo Sparviere Dosaggio Zero Riserva Franciacorta and Osetra Caviar

February 19, 2016

Azienda Lo Sparviere is located in the province of Brescia in Lombardy,AWARDSwhere they have 25 hectares planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The  soils for this vineyard is calcareous with red clay and silt. They produce Franciacorta DOCG in the full range of Franciacorta styles- Brut, Extra Brut, Dosaggio Zero, Satèn, and Rosé.

We are tasting  the:Lo Sparviere Dosaggio Zero Riserva Franciacorta with a 2008 base wine

This wine is made from 100% Chardonnay from mostly 2008. Wines from the the two or three preceding years are blended in.  60% of the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks with the remaining 40% fermented in Barriques and Tonneaux. The wine ages sur lie for 72 months.Lo Sparviere dosaggio Zero Riserva Franciacorta

The wine has a straw golden color and small bubbles. There are aromas of peach, soft minerality with some sweet caramel. On the palate it is dry with some nuttiness. The finish is dry with slight chalk notes and a touch of the caramel coated peach. Refreshing.

 

This Franiciacorta is on the Waiting List to be tasted with Osetra caviar from Lady Elena Caviar.com

 

 

Bastianich Friulano Adriatico Wine Paired with Kaluga Caviar

December 10,2015 2012 Bastianich Adriatico Friulano paired with Kaluga caviar

2012 Bastianich Friulano Adriatico

Today we are pairing this wine with the 8th Pearl Caviar (Kaluga Hybrid Sturgeon) from Lady Elena Caviar.

The wine is from the DOC of Colli Orientali Del Friuli in Italy. The wine is made 100% from the Friulano grape. The wine has a pale gold color. There are flowery aromas of ripe pears with almonds and a salty minerality. There is biting acidity on the palate with a full body oily feel. The fruit is also picking up some spicey mint notes. The finish has some white pepper to it and finishes clean.

Lady Elena Caviar Pairing

The 8th Pearl Caviar (Kaluga Hybrid Sturgeon): As the wine covers over the caviar, the sweetness of the pear softens and there is a lifting up of the mineralness of the caviar for a brief time. A great wine and caviar pairing with The 8th Pearl Caviar from Lady Elena Caviar.

 

 

Terraquilia’s Falconero Zero Wine

September 27, 2015Terraquilia Falconero Zero

 

The wine cellar is located in a pristine area at approximately 450 m a.s.l. in Guiglia (MO). It produces bottled natural, secondary-fermentation wines and has a production philosophy that has ancient roots and enhances the organoleptic characteristics of the vineyards: the ancestral method. All the wines feature low sulphite content, which make them a natural and healthy wine.

2013 FALCONERO ZERO

The word Tradition is often used as a flag, almost a slogan for trying to confirm an identity that modern enological techniques tend to flatten. This is not the case here! This bottle arose from a project that searches for a balance between the environment, the vines, the wine and people; it is a biological project run in the hills at an altitude of 450 metres, where recovering the production methods of the past is truly substantial and technology remains in second place, at the service of tradition. This dark Lambrusco is re-fermented in the bottle but without sediments, with few sulphites; its lovely violet foam reveals the agricultural values of a soil that was rich in value before discovering other, short-lived riches.

Wine: Red – Year: 2013

Yearly production (bottles): 3.500

Ageing: Bottle

Designation: IGT

Grapes (%): Lambrusco Grasparossa 90%, Malbo Gentile

Review as reported by Wine Meridian

Siberian Sturgeon and White Sturgeon Caviar Pairing with 2012 Bruni Per Laia Vermentino Wine

June 29,2015

2012 Bruni Per Laia Vermentino

Today we are pairing this wine with Americana Caviar (White Sturgeon ) and Siberian Baer Caviar (Siberian Sturgeon) from Lady Elena Caviar.

The wine is 100% Vermentino from Maremma Toscana Italy and was fermented in barrrique for 6 to 8 months. The wine has a pale gold color. There are aromas of mild creamy soft apricot and white peaches with a smokey salty mineral note. On the palate it is medium bodied with slightly soft creaminess, delicate fruits and a touch of green herbs. The finish is dry and filled with acidity that balances out the wines creaminess. Very easy to drink.

Lady Elena Caviar Pairing2012 Bruni Per Laia Vermentino Wine and Caviar Pairing

Americana Caviar (White Sturgeon): The caviar brings out some of the minerality of the wine. A good Lady Elena Caviar and wine pairing.

Siberian Baer Caviar (Siberian Sturgeon): The wine’s minerality and fruit flavors are enhanced and leaves the mouth refreshed.  A great Lady Elena Caviar and wine pairing.

 

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva Santa Pia Mini Vertical of 2007 and 2008

March 13,2014

2007 and 2008 Vino Nobile di Montepulicano Riserva Santa Pia

The difference is the weather. 2007 had mild temperatures that formed budding of about ten days ealier than average. There was a dry and not to hot summer.

2008 started off cooler and budding was ten day later than average. It was a rainy spring with below average temperatures. August was hot and dry. September’s temperature dropped slowing down the grapes maturing. This weather caused a slow and regular ripening process. As a result the wines have more structure than the 2007 vintage.

2007 La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva Santa Pia2008 La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva Santa Pia

2010 Tenuta Terre Nere Etna Rosso and the First Day of Lent

March 5,20142014 Lenten Sacrifice to Give Up Drinking Bad Wine

For those observing the Lenten season, highlighting a wine from a vineyard located on the volcanic soil of Mount Etna in Sicily Italy just seems the Ash thing to do. It is almost like from ashes to wine. Let’s have some pizza tonight with this tasty 2010 Tenuta Tere Nerre Etna Rosso. See review below.

But we first must decide what we are going to give up for Lent this year. So I have declared to give up drinking bad wines.

2010 Tenuta Terre Nere Etna Rosso

 

 

 

2014 Tre Bicchieri Tour Visits New York and Brings the 2012 Vigne Surrau Sciala Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG

February 7,2014

The Tre Bicchieri World tour stopped in New York on February 6,2014. Producers thatTrebicchieri 2014 image from Gambero Rosso have won Trebicchieri (three glasses) offered tastings of their award winning wines. These are the best of the Italian wines. It was difficult to find a wine that you did not like.

It was a day of favorites.

 

Click here for a PDF of the 2014 Tre Bicchieri Winners 

So I would like to highlight one of those 3 Glass winners. Being the weather is so cold, let’s think sunny and warm. Let a sea breeze be the coolest thought. Onward to the Italian island of Sardinia off the Italian coast.TreBicchieri 3 glasses images

From Sardinia lets drink some  2012 Vigne Surrau Sciala Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG. A 3 Glass award winner. 

2012 Vigne Surrau Sciala Vermentino di Gallura Superiore My Favorite Wine IS

 

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